The
filmmakers wanted an ensemble cast that would embody characters
rooted in contemporary reality and social mores. “We
really wanted great and dramatic actors,” producer/writer Simon
Kinberg states. “Actors who come from a more
character-driven background. It’s the way we approach the ‘X-Men’
movies.”

In
the latest “Fantastic Four” reboot, following the accident that
transforms them, the Four develop a unique bond and an understanding
that they will always be there for each other. The Four
come to realize they are strongest when they are working
together. The film also is a coming-of-age story and a
journey of self-discovery for the Four, as they must mature and deal
with their new abilities.

MILES
TELLER plays Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic

The
head of the team is the brilliant Reed Richards. Ever
since he was a child, the young inventor’s dream was to create a
teleportation device. Years later his wish gets fulfilled
when he creates a dimensional travel machine, the Quantum Gate, at
the Baxter Institute. But a test mission goes awry and
leaves Reed and his friends with unusual new powers. Reed
himself is able to stretch his limbs to incredible lengths and morph
into other guises.

Miles
Teller, one of Hollywood’s fastest rising new stars, fresh off the
success of “Whiplash,” the critically-acclaimed independent film
“The Spectacular Now,” and the role of Peter in the hit YA film
series “Divergent,” plays Reed Richards, one of the most
important characters in the Marvel universe of superheroes.

Teller
says he quickly became aware of how beloved and famous the Four are
in the pantheon of superheroes. “What I really like
about Reed is his focus and hyper-intelligence. I think
being the smartest person in the room is a great asset. That’s a
lot of power. He’s not trying to be the cool kid. All
Reed wants to do his build this Quantum Gate. That’s
what drives him; he’s a true pioneer.”

MICHAEL
B. JORDAN plays Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch

Another
member of the team, Johnny Storm, is a young, hotshot
adventure-seeker who wants nothing to do with his father, Dr.
Storm’s, science program. Following the botched mission, Johnny is
transformed into a human, flying fireball. Unlike the
others, however, Johnny is the quickest to adapt to and relish his
new powers.

Jordan
notes that having the opportunity to play a character with special
powers in “Chronicle” was “kind of like the appetizer” for
FANTASTIC FOUR. “I wanted to go full-on and take on a
character that already existed. And I think the grounded
nature of FANTASTIC FOUR appealed to me because it’s just so
relatable; you care about the characters. For me, Johnny Storm is The
One. He’s charismatic and very passionate about life. He’s
optimistic and wants to be taken very seriously, but he has a
light-hearted nature about him, so there’s a balance.”

KATE
MARA plays Sue Storm aka The Invisible Woman

As
a child, Johnny’s stepsister Sue Storm was an orphan from Kosovo
adopted into the family of Dr. Franklin Storm. As a young
adult at Baxter she develops into a pattern recognition scientist,
who can see patterns in everything and everyone. As a result of her
proximity to a catastrophic event, Sue also obtains new abilities.
She can render herself invisible and harness her new powers to create
powerful force fields. To honor the legacy of this bright
comic book heroine, the filmmakers sought an actress with
intelligence, strength and mystery. “Kate Mara’s name
was the first that came up,” recalls Kinberg.

Mara
also suggests that Sue is an internal person to begin with, so going
invisible is an ability that is consistent with that
trait.After
being adopted by Dr. Storm, it became readily apparent Sue was a
gifted child. “She has this pattern recognition gift,”
Mara explains. “She is very, very smart and works
alongside her father with whom she has a close bond.” Mara
further notes that Sue’s relationship with her brother Johnny is a
more typical brother-sister relationship.

JAMIE
BELL plays Ben Grimm aka The Thing

The
fourth member of the nascent team is Ben Grimm, who lives with his
mother and older brothers in a small home at his family’s home
business, Grimm Salvage Yard, on the wrong side of the tracks in
Oyster Bay. Ben forges an unlikely friendship with the neighborhood
egghead and inventor, Reed Richards. Years later, after Reed enlists
Ben to join his ill-fated teleportation mission at the Baxter
Institute, Ben is transformed into a super-strong, six-foot,
eight-inch, thousand pound being whose body is covered in rock,
making him impervious to physical damage.

Jamie
Bell, whose career was launched in the title performance in the
British drama “Billy Elliott,” was chosen to play the massive,
strong-willed yet kind character. Bell describes Ben Grimm as
“someone who is at that point of his life where he doesn’t know
what he’s going to do next. Ben doesn’t have a lot of
prospects. He’s as average as they come. The only thing that makes
him stand out is that he’s very protective of himself and of his
friends. Ben also has problems with his siblings and he
gets bullied a lot, so he’s constantly trying to prove himself.
When he’s intimidated, he likes to intimidate. But I think at heart
he’s a sweet guy. The physicality of the role all comes from
the movement, like when I was a dancer as a kid.”

Join
“Fantastic Four” as they save the world from doomsday when it
opens August 5 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century
Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. Follow 20th Century
Fox (Philippines) on Facebook for relevant updates.